The cargo ship Morning Midas, a 600-foot, Liberian-flagged vessel operated by London-based Zodiac Maritime, met a catastrophic end in international waters southwest of Alaska on June 23. The vessel, which was carrying 3,048 vehicles, including 70 electric vehicles (EVs) and 681 hybrid models, capsized and sank at approximately 5:30 p.m. PST, roughly 450 miles southwest of Adak, AK. Its demise followed a prolonged and severe fire that had erupted on June 3 in the section of the ship carrying electric and hybrid vehicles, prompting the evacuation of all 22 crew members.

The Morning Midas had originally been en route from Yantai, China, to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico. The fire, which reportedly broke out on June 3 (also cited as June 4 in some reports), led to a large plume of smoke visible from the deck loaded with electric vehicles. All crew members were safely transferred via lifeboat to a nearby merchant vessel, the Cosco Hellas, with no injuries reported. Despite the evacuation, the fire continued to rage for weeks, severely damaging the vessel.

According to Zodiac Maritime, the extensive fire damage, compounded by heavy weather conditions and subsequent water ingress, ultimately led to the ship’s sinking to a depth of approximately 16,400 feet (4,999 meters). At the time of the incident, the Morning Midas was carrying a significant amount of fuel: 1,530 metric tons of very low-sulfur fuel oil and 350 metric tons of marine gas oil. While the electric vehicles have been identified as a possible source of the initial blaze, the exact cause remains unclear.

The U.S. Coast Guard, in close coordination with Zodiac Maritime and Resolve Marine, has been actively monitoring the situation. Despite the potential environmental hazard from the sunken fuel and batteries, the Coast Guard reported no visible signs of pollution immediately after the sinking. Two salvage vessels, Garth Foss and Salvage Worker, remain on the scene with pollution response equipment. An additional oil spill response vessel, Endeavour, was scheduled to arrive on June 26 to assist with containment and recovery efforts, underscoring ongoing concerns about potential environmental contamination. This incident highlights critical questions regarding the safe transport of electric and hybrid vehicles at sea and the associated environmental risks.